


Illusion

by kototyph



Series: Halloween Trick or Treat Ficlets [11]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fugitives, Conspiracy, Ficlet, Gen, Mysterious and Annoying Strangers on a Train, On the Run
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-01
Updated: 2014-11-01
Packaged: 2018-02-23 13:05:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2548526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kototyph/pseuds/kototyph
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p><em>rosalikeys inquired:</em> prompt 45: illusion, Sam and Gabriel</p>
    </blockquote>





	Illusion

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RosaliKeys](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosaliKeys/gifts).



> _rosalikeys inquired:_ prompt 45: illusion, Sam and Gabriel

“Hey, kid. Wanna see a magic trick?”

Sam keeps his arms folded and his eyes on the train’s darkened aisle, at the feet and elbows and sleeping heads that poke out every other seat. “No, thanks,” he says curtly.

The guy across from him just grins. “You sure? I know all the tricks, and I do mean all of them.”

Sam draws his legs in a little more. “I’m good.”

The other people in their section passed out a while ago, but this weirdo seems wide awake and antsy with it, fingers tapping an insistent staccato rhythm on the armrest. To be honest, Sam would like to be sleeping too, but the train attendants will be walking through in a couple of minutes. He has to be ready to move.

“You don’t look good,” the man observes. “You look like shit.”

Sam sets his jaw. “Yeah? Great. Good to know.”

The man leans forward with his hands on the seat, feet swinging free— too short to reach the ground. “C’mon, Sam. It’ll take your mind off things.”

Sam looks at him then, eyes jerking away from the door to the next car. “How did you know my—?”

“It’s on your bag,” the man says, pointing.

Sam looks down at his bag, at the goddamn airline tag that has his name and the hospital’s address on it. He rips it off right there and then, but his mind is scrambling, trying to think of who else might’ve seen it. Stupid shit like this is how they found him in the first place, and if they find him again—

The man tilts his head, eyebrows rising as he watches Sam tears the tag into tiny little pieces. “Sorry, kid. Didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I’m not scared,” Sam shoots back, which is the biggest lie he’s told today. And that’s saying something.

“If you say so,” the man says. “My name’s Gabe, by the way. Sure you don’t want to see a trick?”

As he speaks, he fans a deck of cards out face down on the plastic table between them, and it’s all Sam can do not to sweep them onto the floor.  “I’m really, really sure,” he snaps, getting his duffel strap over his shoulder.

The door slides open, and two men in blue uniforms step into the car. Sam freezes when the first shines shines his flashlight right in Sam’s eyes and says, “Ticket, please.” .

“I… let me look, uh, in my bag,” Sam stutters, and slowly tugs it into his lap. If he pretends to search long enough, the attendant will move on, maybe, and he can slip into the bathroom or up the stairs—

“Excuse me,” Gabe says, and slides two cards from the deck on the table, holding them up to the flashlight’s beam. “Our tickets.”

The attendant glances impassively at the cards, a jack of spades and a joker, and nods. “Have a pleasant rest of the evening, gentlemen,” he says. He tips his hat to them and walks off to the next group of seats.

Sams gapes after him, then at Gabe, who reshuffles the cards into the deck with quick, expert turns of his wrists. “How did you do that?”

Gabe eyes flick up, and a slight smirk crosses his face. “What? No thank you?”

“Um, thanks. Thank you.” Sam lets his bag drop down to the floor at his feet. “Really, though. How?”

A twitch of Gabe’s hand, and a card beans Sam right between the eyes before fluttering down to the table. The joker again.

“You’re not the only special one, Sam,” Gabe says, shrugging as though he hasn’t just stopped Sam’s heart dead in his chest. “If you’re really running—”

“I’m never going back there,” Sam says, fingers digging painfully hard into the side of the plastic table. “You can’t make me.”

Gabe gives him a cool once-over. “Not making you do anything. I’m offering.”

“Offering… what?”

The train rumbles by a well-lit station, a stripe of light running over Gabe’s face. His eyes are yellow and strange, but not without empathy. “Some company. Some protection. Could be I also know where your brother is.”

“Dean,” Sam breathes. “He’s okay?”

Oddly, this makes Gabe roll his eyes. “Oh, he’s just dandy. And I owe him. Which is why you’re going to sit back and let me handle the rest of this Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey remake. And, Sam,” he says, holding up a hand when Sam opens his mouth. “I don’t care if you don’t trust me. This will only be slightly harder if I have to haul your unconscious body all the way to South Dakota.”

“South Dakota?”

Gabe sighs. “Get some sleep. We’ll talk once we get off in Lansing.”

Sam stares at him. “Like I’ll be able to sleep now!”

Gabe’s smile takes on a mean edge. “Oh, I can definitely help with that,” he says, and snaps his fingers. 

**Author's Note:**

> I need more fandom friends! Find me on [tumblr](http://kototyph.tumblr.com/) and [livejournal](http://kototyph.livejournal.com/).


End file.
